Up-Close with Blair Propert:

Banner ELk, NC--Join us as we get Up Close with this freshman
tennis player from the "land down under." Propert comes from Gold
Coast, Australia to the mountains of North Carolina.

1. What made you decide to come to
Lees-McRae?

"It has always been my dream to play tennis in college. Also,
Coach Goode is a great coach and Lees-McRae also had my major."

2. How long have you been playing tennis?

"I have been playing since I was 15."

3. What are your personal goals for this
season?

"I want to keep improving my game and help the team win."

4. What's your favorite tennis memory here at Lees-McRae
so far?

"Going to Barton and playing as a team and representing the
school. I was fulfilling my dream."

5. Who has been the most influential person on your
athletic career?

"Jordan Sanchez. He was my first coach, the first person to give
me a tennis racket."

6. If you weren't playing tennis, what other sport would
you play?

"I would be swimming and playing volleyball."

7. What is your major and what do you plan to do with
your degree?

"Sports Management. I want to travel and work in resorts as a
Recreation Manager."

8. If you could travel back in time to any point in
history, where would you
go?

"I would go back 5 years when my sister and I both still lived
at home and spend more time with my family."

9. What is your favorite book?

"The Tomorrow Series."

10. What is your favorite food?

"Ice Cream."

11. If you could visit any place in the world, where
would it be?

"I would visit Maldives, an island off the coast of India.
That's where my
sister works and I would want to visit her."

12. What is one word that describes you and
why?

"Ambitious, because I've always wanted to be a college athlete
and succeed in life and I set big goals for myself."

Blair's Story …

Blair Propert, a freshman from Gold Coast, Australia, is another
international story that makes up the profile of the Lees-McRae
Men's tennis team. For Blair, it was not so easy getting to the
United States to fulfill his dream of playing tennis in college.
With the help of his coach in Australia and the connections he had,
Blair was introduced to the Lees-McRae tennis program and Coach
Paul Goode. After several phone interviews with Coach Goode, 3
months work dealing with Visas and international policies and
without even a visit to the campus, Blair was on his way to the
United States and Lees-McRae College. Luckily, Banner Elk and LMC
were a perfect fit. Blair says that the small school atmosphere is
a great match because he had been in small schools his whole life.
The biggest change Blair says he experienced was moving from living
on islands his whole life to now living in the mountains. However,
the extensive traveling Blair has done has made his transition
pretty easy. Blair says the people, the great tennis program, and
his teammates have made Lees-McRae the place he wants to be and
wants to stay.